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Topic: Scotch Ale - Strongish (Read 1515 times)

Brewed a Scotch Ale 10 days ago. SG 1.070. Using Wyeast 1728. Its been sitting at 65-68 degrees and there is still some activity although slow.

My question is this. I know this beer needs some aging before consuming. I don't keg (yet) so should I go ahead and bottle when I have reached my FG or should I allow this to sit in the fermenter and sort of "Lager" in the garage (temp in 50's) for a couple of weeks first? Looking at the Wyeast webpage for this yeast it says it ferments from 55 - 75. Also I remember reading something somewhere about "lagering" with this yeast.

You could lager if you want. I think it would help smooth out the beer early and you could probably drink it sooner, although I'd look at lagering it for 4-6 weeks, if you can. On the other hand, you'll drop out a lot of yeast so carbonation will occur at a slower rate. You may be happier bottling after 2-3 weeks and then after the bottles have carbonated you can stick them in the garage to lager over the winter, as long as the bottles won't freeze.

You could lager if you want. I think it would help smooth out the beer early and you could probably drink it sooner, although I'd look at lagering it for 4-6 weeks, if you can. On the other hand, you'll drop out a lot of yeast so carbonation will occur at a slower rate. You may be happier bottling after 2-3 weeks and then after the bottles have carbonated you can stick them in the garage to lager over the winter, as long as the bottles won't freeze.

+1I would bottle and then cold condition them, it will just make the carbonation process go easier with less issues.

On another thread I mentioned that I will be brewing a Scottish 80/ with an ABV of around 4.5% the day before Thanksgiving. In reading this thread, it has me thinking that this beer will not be ready by Christmas. What is the longer aging time due to? If it is the high alcohol in the one in this thread then I am probably OK. But if it is due to the yeast or something else, I guess I should know what's going on.

I think your beer would be plenty ready by then being a 1.044OG ale. It's roughly 5 weeks until Christmas - if you keg you could leave in primary for 2 weeks and still have 3 weeks to cold condition as it carbs. The 1.070 Strong Scotch in this thread wouldn't be at its peak by then though.

You could lager if you want. I think it would help smooth out the beer early and you could probably drink it sooner, although I'd look at lagering it for 4-6 weeks, if you can. On the other hand, you'll drop out a lot of yeast so carbonation will occur at a slower rate. You may be happier bottling after 2-3 weeks and then after the bottles have carbonated you can stick them in the garage to lager over the winter, as long as the bottles won't freeze.

+1I would bottle and then cold condition them, it will just make the carbonation process go easier with less issues.

This. Cold condition after you are carbonated. It will slow the staling reactions, and still provide "lagering" time. The longer you can wait the better. I would store all of the beer in the garage, and just a few in the fridge unless you have a lot of space. Conditioning is really important with this style IMO.

yso, I think the lower-gravity versions of the style come into their own a lot quicker. I think 2 weeks in the cold will be fine.